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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26069920">The Weight of Years…</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerraCody/pseuds/TerraCody'>TerraCody</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Night Before the Decisive Battle [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drunk Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions/Golden Deer Joint Route, Headcanon, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:33:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,441</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26069920</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerraCody/pseuds/TerraCody</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In a moment of anger Seteth has a...lapse in judgment. Now he doesn’t know how to set anything right.</p><p>Companion to Oh, My Dear Father...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Manuela Casagranda/Seteth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Night Before the Decisive Battle [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1841431</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Weight of Years…</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Fire Emblem: Three Houses and its characters are the property of Intelligent Systems, Koei Tecmo, and Nintendo. I have a particular fondness for the Seteth/Manuela pairing because of their hostile working relationship, clashing personalities, and adorable paired ending. I love how easily Manuela can ruffle Seteth’s feathers, but I also like the evolution of their Support Chain.</p><p>I hope you enjoy this story.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>28th of the Verdant Rain Moon, Imperial Year 1186</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His head felt muddled but his body felt <strong>amazing</strong>.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Their bodies were hot and sticky with sweat and alcohol they had poured on each other earlier but he didn’t care. She was spread wide, her body open to him, but her tight heat clenched him like a vice. Rationality failed him as he groped and squeezed her backside as she rutted against him wildly. He felt her mouth sucking at his neck hard, and a brief sting of pain as she sank her teeth into his skin. But the pain didn’t deter his arousal—far from it. He arched his head back and groaned loudly as her body rubbed up and down against him.</em>
</p><p><em>They collapsed onto his desk but she still moved with abandon against him. They kissed briefly, tasting the alcohol in each other’s mouth, before he rose over her and pounded hard and deep into her. </em> <em>”Ohh! Ohh!” Her head arched back against his desk as her hips rapidly rose and fell to meet his thrusts. Her eyes were squeezed closed and she couldn’t hold back her voice. It echoed in the room. “Oh, so good! Goddess, yes! Oh Goddess, give it to me!” </em></p><p>
  <em>He couldn’t take his eyes off her breasts. They looked swollen but perfect, nipples dark red and standing, and they shook with the motions of their bodies. His reached out and grabbed and squeezed the mounds but it wasn’t enough for him. He bent down and began sucking and licking them loudly, tasting the sweat and liquor on her skin. Her body felt so good, the friction around him perfect. <strong>Yes...yes, good, this is so good...</strong></em>
</p><p>
  <em>Beneath him she cursed, and he heard the desperate snarl in her voice. “I-I’m about to—I’m almost there! I’m almost there, don’t stop!” Her breathing became thick and heavy over the top of his head. “Yes—oooooh! Like that, don’t stop!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He did as she commanded and she convulsed and screamed beneath him as he felt her heat pulsate around him as she reached her peak. He felt the fire of his release grip him and he thrust harder into her body as she hooked her legs tight around his waist. “Fill me up,” she whispered, her tone still desperate. “Fill me up, Seteth...”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He groaned harshly, and kissed and nipped at her mouth. “Cichol. Call my Cichol.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She kissed and licked his mouth as one hand reached back to grope and squeeze his backside. She moaned harder and louder, and he knew she was about to reach her peak again. “C-Cichol! Oh Holy Cichol yes!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was enough for him and he shouted hoarsely as he reached his apex and released inside her body. He gripped the sides of his desk so hard that he nearly splintered the wood as he trembled with aftershocks. He collapsed on top of her, drained, but he felt her hands bury into his hair and turn his head towards her. Their mouths met again, and the familiar heat of arousal swept through him. He became aware that her legs were still wrapped around him, and when he shifted he gasped when he felt the legs tighten. His eyes met hers, but her expression was dangerous as she slowly moved her hips down, squeezing around him as she did so. Using her legs as leverage she snapped her hips back up and his eyes rolled back at the hot sensation of her body engulfing him completely.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>”I think you’ve been worshipped enough, my sensual Saint.” Her tone was slurred but erotic and he shivered as he became hard in an instant. The way her legs were locked around him made it impossible for his hips to move, leaving him at the mercy of her rolling hips against his body. “Now it’s time for you to worship <strong>me</strong>.”</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>29th of the Verdant Rain Moon</em>
</p><p>Seteth awoke with a pain in his head so intense that he was afraid that his head would split open from the pressure. He opened his eyes but briefly, and had to close them because the morning light spilling through the window was physically painful.</p><p>It took him several moments to realize that he was not lying in bed in his room. He was lying on the floor, and—he flailed an arm out and touched the leg of a chair. <em>Ah. I fell asleep in my office again.</em></p><p>He swallowed thickly, his throat bone-dry, and there were a few...peculiar after tastes in his mouth. He used the leg of the chair to help pull himself into a sitting position. He still kept his eyes closed. One flavor he <em>did </em>recognize in his mouth though was alcohol.</p><p>
  <em>I...drank to excess last night? I have not drank to excess in—I cannot remember. But why did I get drunk?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I choose Dedue, and that is final!”</em>
</p><p>Seteth winced, and absently wiped at his mouth as he pressed his back against his desk. <em>...Ah. Yes, now I recall why I sought to get drunk. My daughter has...fallen in love with someone.</em></p><p>”Mmm...” Seteth pressed the heel of his hand to the side of his head. Oh, this was quite unpleasant! And for him to act so recklessly while they were preparing to march on Enbarr—while they were preparing to rescue Lady Rhea!</p><p>
  <em>Last night’s revelations were upsetting, but...but I should have been more careful.</em>
</p><p>His foot bumped against an empty bottle before his toe caught on fabric. He braced himself against the desk and opened his eyes again very slowly. He—saw his own trousers hanging around his toe. He stared in shock at the trousers, not believing that they were on the floor and not on his lower body, and he slowly looked down. Part of his overcoat was draped across his hips, but he was stunned by his appearance.</p><p>
  <em>I’m nude.</em>
</p><p>Seteth gasped, and pressed a hand to his mouth. His aching head consumed his senses, but he was becoming acutely aware of another ache in his lower body. He closed his eyes and started to shake his head, but the motion made him dizzy and the pain increased. He felt himself steady so that he didn’t become nauseas. <em>Oh no. Oh no. This—This cannot be! Could I have...?</em></p><p>He sensed movement beside him on the floor, and a soft moan. His heart started slamming against the wall of his chest and his breathing came out short and harsh. <em>Oh, my Goddess. Oh, my Goddess! It cannot be true! Did I—No! I could not have had sexual relations while drunk!</em> He forced himself to open his eyes, and looked to his left. </p><p>There, stretched out beside him on the floor, covered partially by his overcoat and fast asleep, was <em>Manuela Casagranda</em>.</p><p>Seteth’s mouth fell open as he stared at her, his body going numb. She was as naked as he was, and the overcoat didn’t cover up her breasts. His gaze lingered for a few moments before he realized what he was doing and he grabbed his overcoat and yanked it up to fully cover her. He closed his eyes again, his breathing still ragged. <em>Oh no. Oh no...</em></p><p>He opened his eyes again and looked around them. His desk was a total mess; all of his books and papers had been knocked off and were strewn across his office. His clothes and Manuela’s clothes were also strewn across the floor. Numerous empty bottles—all but two that he recognized as from his own supply—were also scattered across the room. </p><p>And Manuela...before Seteth had covered her up, he had seen hickeys of various sizes and color lining both sides of her neck and all over her breasts. He rubbed his own neck, which stung slightly, and looked down at his chest again. This time, he noticed hickeys around his nipples and on his lower stomach. He knew that his neck had to have several hickeys as well.</p><p>There was absolutely no denying what had occurred the night before, and he couldn’t remember <em>any </em>of it.</p><p>Seteth leaned back against his desk again, and pressed a hand to his face and closed his eyes again. He breathed slowly and evenly help calm himself, but he still felt sick from his horrible hangover, and the knowledge that he had carelessly slept with his colleague while drunk. And based upon the empty bottles and the stench of alcohol coming from Manuela, she had to have been drunk too.</p><p>
  <em>...Okay. Pull yourself together, Cichol. You need to wake her up and make her aware of what happened. You can at least trust that because of how...volatile your professional relationship is with her, and how little patience you have for her drunken antics, Manuela would probably not think that you took advantage of her. And she most likely did not take advantage of you for these same reasons. This was nothing more than a lapse in judgment.</em>
</p><p>Seteth cleared his throat painfully but did not open his eyes. “Manuela,” he said loudly, wincing.</p><p>Manuela moaned again, and he heard her roll over onto her stomach. He waited for a response from her, but did not receive one. “<em>Manuela</em>,” he repeated more forcefully.</p><p>”Guhhhh,” Manuela groaned, and Seteth recognized it as her “waking up with a horrible hangover” groan that he’d heard before when he caught her past out in the Infirmary. Seteth looked at her then and saw that she was facedown beside him. “It’s too early!” Manuela rasped against the carpet. After a moment she lifted her head with great difficulty. He saw pain etched in her face, and he guessed that she was suffering from a horrible hangover as well. Her partially open eyes focused on his desk and she paused. “This isn’t my room,” she said with confusion.</p><p>”You are in my office,” Seteth supplied for her.</p><p>“In...” Manuela finally looked at him. She stared at him in confusion for a moment before she yelled and flew backwards. She clutched at her head and groaned loudly in anguish. “Seteth! Why are you in here?! W-What have I told you about bothering me when I’m hungover?!”</p><p>”...My office,” he repeated himself, clutching at his own head as her shout rattled in a violent echo in his ears.</p><p>”I-In your...?” Seteth couldn’t see her because he had to close his eyes for the umpteenth time, but he could sense realization dawning on her. “W...We’re naked!”</p><p>”Yes...we are.”</p><p>”And...we...oh Goddess!” Manuela shouted, and Seteth threw up a little in his mouth as her shout rattled in his ears once more. “This is—but oh Goddess, you have hickeys all over your neck! And—oh Goddess, that’s a bite mark on your neck, Seteth!” Manuela wailed. “Oh, and I <em>know </em>it’s mine because one of my previous lovers complained about me biting him too hard! And it <em>looked like that</em>!”</p><p>Seteth had to press both hands over his ears. While he had internalized the crises he felt over this turn of events, Manuela was outwardly (and <em>loudly</em>) having her crisis. <em>Well...at least she is only dismayed that she slept with me and is not accusing me of taking advantage of her. I can take some comfort in that.</em></p><p>”Manuela, could you<em> please </em>calm down?” Seteth said finally. He spoke forcefully but in a soft tone as to not further disturb his own hangover. “I do not get into the regular practice of getting blackout drunk, and am feeling quite ill.”</p><p>Manuela to her credit stopped yelling, and she also groaned from the effects of her hangover. “Wh...oh Goddess, look at all these bottles. I haven’t drunk this much in years! I remember...oh, I remember—I came in here because your sister—”</p><p>”Please do not remind me. I was obviously upset to the point that I decided to drink to forget the whole thing. You...You must have joined me and we obviously got drunk together. And from there...” he gestured with a hand helplessly. “From there it obviously escalated.”</p><p>He heard her crawl feebly across the floor. “I’m...my chest is marked by hickeys. It will be a pain covering them up.” She laughed weakly. “You must have loved kissing them last night—”</p><p>“<em>Manuela</em>,” Seteth said sharply.</p><p>”Hey, I’m trying to find humor in this awful—oh my. I even have hickeys on my inner thi—”</p><p>”Manuela, please do <em>not</em> give me commentary about what you think happened last night!”</p><p>”I’m trying to be complimentary,” Manuela said defensively. “I don’t remember anything, but I see the evidence all over my body of how you treated me during sex. I’m saying I’m grateful that you gave me service down there, because not a lot of my previous lovers liked—”</p><p>”Manuela, sto—”</p><p>”You should check yourself for hickeys down there too because I’m <em>very </em>good at—”</p><p>”Be quiet!” Seteth shouted, but nearly fell over from the pain.</p><p>Manuela scoffed, and Seteth heard her start to get dressed. “My goodness, you are in a foul mood this morning. Don’t you think <em>I </em>deserve to be in a foul mood considering that I slept with <em>you </em>while drunk?”</p><p>”You—”</p><p>A knock at his office door caused them both to wince with pain once more, but the voice that called out from the door instantly filled Seteth with cold panic. “Seteth?”</p><p>”<em>Byleth</em>!” Manuela hissed in panic. His head whipped around to look at the door but he nearly fainted from the sudden movement.</p><p>Byleth knocked on the door again. “Seteth, are you in there? There was something I wanted to discuss with you.” After another moment she tried the door handle. Seteth nearly died with relief as the lock on the door held firm. “Seteth, did you lock your office? I didn’t realize these doors locked. There’s no lock on my father’s office door.”</p><p>“P-Professor,” Seteth sputtered, frantically snatching for his clothes. The fast movements made him dizzy, though. “I am in here and I am all right. Is there an emergency?”</p><p>”...No,” Byleth said at length. “It’s just that Dimitri has decided to offer knighthood to everyone, regardless of station, in the Cathedral. T-There were a couple of things I wanted to tie up as well. I was going to offer Ashe the lands that once belonged to House Gaspard—”</p><p>”You are Rhea’s...chosen successor. Whatever you decided to do with—land seized by the Central Church is entirely your decision.” Seteth concentrated on getting dressed (and trying and failing to ignore his hangover) than worried about what Byleth and Dimitri were planning for the day.</p><p>”T-Thank you, Seteth. There were a couple of other documents I was hoping to check with y—”</p><p>”No!” Seteth immediately shout. He wince and hated that he had to still shout because Byleth would not hear him otherwise. “I—I cannot let you in, Professor. I am deeply sorry, but please do not attempt to open that door!”</p><p>”All...right,” Byleth said, clearing sounding confused. “Well, if you nee—”</p><p>Manuela accidentally kicked an empty bottle with her bare foot and let out a long string of whispered swear words. Seteth slowly closed his eyes and sighed painfully. <em>This. Of all the women in the entire world I could’ve woken up beside after a night of drinking, it was <strong>this</strong> one.</em></p><p>”Seteth, are you okay?” Byleth called out. “I-I could get Mercedes, or Professor Manuela—”</p><p>”No, I’m fine,” Seteth said quickly.</p><p>”If...If it will help you, I could look for Flayn—”</p><p>“Professor, I am quite all right!“ Seteth interrupted her insistently. “Please forgive me for taking up so much of your time! Do you not have somewhere else you need to be?”</p><p>”Oh, yes! I have to get to the Cathedral! I-I’ll see you later, Seteth!”</p><p>Seteth heard her footsteps retreat away and he almost collapsed against his desk as he sighed in relief. “...The absolute last thing I want is for her to see me like this,” he mumbled. He at least had his trousers on but hadn’t just his shirt on yet. He heard some noise ahead of him and he looked up and saw a fully-dressed Manuela stumbling her way towards his door. “I’m never drinking again,” Manuela said painfully. “I—I’m going back to my room. Maybe I’ll wake up and realize that none of this actually happened.”</p><p>“If only we were both so lucky,” Seteth murmured. He looked down at his hands, and after a moment he pinched the back of one hand. The pain from the pinch didn’t hurt as much as his head, but he didn’t immediately wake up in his own bed. <em>Damn.</em></p><p>Manuela fumbled with the door and spilled out into the hallway, and Seteth looked up as he heard a loud, “OOMPH!”</p><p>”Manuela, are—you <em>reek </em>of alcohol!” Hanneman von Essar exclaimed. “D-Did you get drunk in Seteth’s Office?!”</p><p><em>Oh no.</em> Seteth frantically looked around, and though his head spun he grabbed for his shirt and overcoat and frantically yanked them on.</p><p>”I am <em>not </em>getting another lecture from you!” Manuela snapped, and Seteth heard footsteps running away. He heard Hanneman mutter in confusion in the hallway and he brushed himself off—and realized that the buttons on his overcoat were misaligned. <em>Oh no!</em></p><p>Before he could fix his appearance, Hanneman swept into his office. “Seteth, is—what on earth?!” He looked shocked by the chaotic state of the room. “Did—It looks like Manuela destroyed your office!”</p><p>”It was...not entirely her fault,” Seteth said, trying to focus his mind on fixing his buttons. “This was regrettably a mutual destruction.”</p><p>Hanneman shook his head in disbelief and slowly bent to collect the papers scattered around the room. “I hope you accept my apologies, Seteth. I went to bed early last night, and so I wasn’t in my office. Had I heard your...fight, I would’ve been more than happy to assist in breaking it up.”</p><p>”It is nothing for you to worry about.” Seteth quickly waved a hand at him. “Hanneman, please do not bother yourself. I will clean this up later when I am in a better state of mind.”</p><p>Hanneman stared wordlessly at the empty bottles of alcohol in various places on the floor, his eyes wide and his brow arched. Seteth stumbled over to him with as much dignity as he could muster and took the papers from him. “Thank you,” he said curtly. “I imagine that you have a lot that you wish to take care of before we march tomorrow. Please do not trouble yourself on me.”</p><p>”I...do have a lot that I would like to take care of,” Hanneman agreed reluctantly. “Linhardt requested my assistance today, because there was an experiment that he wanted to try. I-I actually have to get my office ready for his arrival.” He turned to leave but paused and looked at Seteth. “Are...Is everything all right, Seteth? This—” he gestured around with his hand. “This is quite unlike you.”</p><p>”Everything is fine,” Seteth responded. “Thank you for your concern.” </p><p>The reassurances though tasted foul in his mouth...because he knew that everything was <em>far </em>from okay.</p><hr/><p>Sleeping proved to be a waste of time. Seteth passed out the minute he got back to his room and sat down on his bed, but he woke only a little while later with his hangover somehow <em>worse </em>than before he arrived back in his room. He knew he should not have been surprised because he <em>had </em>drunken enough alcohol to get blackout drunk—which was something that was incredibly difficult to do for someone like him.</p><p>And—And during the brief time he had slept he believed he saw patches of his memory. Or rather, he <em>sensed</em> his memory because he heard and felt things but didn’t actually see anything. He thought he heard Manuela’s moans and sighs in his ears, floating over his mind, and his body—when he woke up his body felt hot and tight with need. It thoroughly embarrassed him, even though he was alone in his room, and he tried to meditate to get rid of the sensations. Meditation however did not work because of his hangover.</p><p>There didn’t seem to be anything that he could do to get rid of the hangover. He brewed a pot of Four-Spice Blend—but his favorite tea did not clear his mind. Then he brewed a cup of coffee—but it somehow made the headache worse. He changed to a clean pair of shirt and trousers, but he felt sick when he saw the hickeys on him.</p><p>He walked to the Sauna in a daze. He couldn’t remember what happened between his walk from his room to the Sauna, but thankfully the Sauna helped to clear his mind significantly. The hangover was still there but he could at least form a coherent thought without feeling the urge to vomit. And the fact that he had not gotten physically ill since he initially woke made him feel better.</p><p>But not completely.</p><p>
  <em>I slept with a colleague. I allowed my personal problems to get in the way of my duty and had a sexual liaison on the eve of an incredibly important battle. Now it is midday before our final battle and I am still unwell. This may have negative consequences on my ability to be in a leadership position tomorrow. My actions are deplorable, and I have let many people down in doing this.</em>
</p><p>Seteth had not seen Flayn at all that day, and he had a feeling she was deliberately avoiding him. He did not fault her as he did not want her to see him like this. He did not want to leave things unsettled between them, however he was not in a good frame of mind at the current moment. He knew that it would be best to speak to Flayn when he was not suffering so much from his hangover.</p><p>
  <em>I will meet with her before march on Enbarr. We’ll clear the air between us.</em>
</p><p>Though his head still hurt, it had waned enough that he was now very much aware of other aches in his lower body. His lower body was not in pain, but he felt uncomfortable and had to limp carefully while he walked. He tried very hard not to think about the events of the previous night, but the aching served to be final confirmation of what had transpired between Manuela and him.</p><p>
  <em>I...do not quite remember the last time I felt like this. But this was obviously not the first time I had sex, and the fact that I ache so much afterwards...oh dear. It is quite clear that we did not have sex one time last night. It had to have been multiple times.</em>
</p><p> He tried to keep himself busy and though he wanted to avoid heavily populated areas of the Monastery he knew he couldn’t shirk his responsibilities any longer. The day past him in a blur, and admittedly he found some comfort just sitting in silence with his wyvern, Whitasu, in his stall in the Stables. It felt nice to be in company that trusted him but did not badger him.</p><p>But near dusk he was able to occupy himself by checking the horses that would be marching for tomorrow. They were armored and ready to ride. <em>Good. They all look healthy and ready for what it to</em> come.</p><p>”Seteth?!”</p><p>Hearing Gilbert Pronislav’s voice, and seeing him and <em>Byleth </em>quickly approach him, had been a mortifying experience. He was thankful that he did not have to overly explain himself to them though, and after a short conversation Gilbert took him by the arm to personal escort him back to his room. Gilbert said nothing to him as they walked, which Seteth was grateful for. Gilbert’s natural stoicism was something he needed in the moment.</p><p>
  <em>I...I will try to get as much rest as possible.</em>
</p><p>When they reached his room, Seteth was able to walk on his own and sat down on his bed with his back facing away from the door. Gilbert followed him and gave him a vial. “This may not help much, but it is a Vulnerary.”</p><p>”Thank you.” Setter quickly drank the healing potion and his head <em>did </em>feel better. He was fairly certain he could try to sleep a little now. </p><p>“I know this is none of my business,” Gilbert said. “But I am deeply concerned about your behavior, Seteth. Is there anything that I can help you with?”</p><p>Seteth glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “...If I tell you, will you promise to not tell anyone else?”</p><p>”I promise,” Gilbert said.</p><p>”Including Professor Byleth?”</p><p>Gilbert seemed startled by the question but quickly recovered. “I promise, Seteth. On my honor as a knight.”</p><p>Seteth kept it short, but he was embarrassed by the shock in Gilbert’s face. He looked away and finished by staring at his hands. Gilbert was silent for a long time, and when he finally spoke he started by coughing loudly. “That...I did not expect that, Seteth.”</p><p>”Neither did I.”</p><p>”Have you spoke with Manuela about this?”</p><p>He shook his head. “I have been avoiding her, and I imagine that she’s been avoiding me.”</p><p>”I do not think it is a good idea for the both of you to—avoid this before we march tomorrow. What occurred between you two—” he coughed awkwardly again. “This is very out of character for you, Seteth. You should talk to her, but you may as well give some thought as to why this happened.”</p><p>Seteth looked at him again. “Why?”</p><p>”Seteth, in the years that I have known you I do not know you as a man who gets so intoxicated on alcohol that he sleeps with someone. I am of the opinion that this did not...just happen. Manuela, despite her—” Gilbert shook his head. “She seems like someone with little self-responsibility but I do not think that this just happened for her too. Here.” He handed over another Vulnerary. “I’m going to go look for Annette. Before you get your rest you should do some self-evaluating about why last night happened. Then, you need to discuss it with Manuela.”</p><p>Seteth quickly dark the healing potion. He was irritated that he was still feeling the effects of the hangover, though it was not as bad not. “Thank you for the advice, Gilbert.”</p><p>”I am just speaking as someone who left a lot of personal loose ends hanging—and it’s something I deeply regret everyday.”</p><hr/><p>It was now fully night outside. In the distance, Seteth could still hear the bustle of Garreg Mach. He was still seated on his bed looking down at his hands. His head was still splitting, but he couldn’t get rid of the...sinking feeling in the core of his feeling.</p><p><em>Okay. I’m going to try to organize my thoughts. I...I slept with Manuela while drunk. I do not remember any of it, but I cannot ignore that it happened. I did something so...unlike me. </em>He frowned deeply and closed his eyes. <em>I will not ask myself why I had sex with her. If she was someone I felt nothing for, or someone I regarded with contempt, then I would not have had sex with her. Even with alcohol clouding my judgment and dispelling my inhibitions, I believe wholeheartedly that I must feel something for her in order for me to sleep with her. However...I do not know or understand what it is that I <strong>do </strong>feel for her.</em></p><p>A sharp knock on his door made him wince and he held a hand to his head once more. “C-Come in and <em>please</em> be quiet!” He called out hoarsely.</p><p>His door opened, and dread filled his body at the voice that floated over him. “I have a tonic for your hangover, Seteth.”</p><p>Seteth held himself still as he heard Manuela close his door behind her. She walked around his bed and held a large vial directly in front of his face. “My apologies for the delay. I slept the entire day away and only woke up a couple of hours ago. Then I had my hands full because someone had an allergic reaction to the cake. But this should get rid of your hangover entirely.”</p><p>He stared at the bottle for a long moment before he took the bottle from her. “You have my thanks.” He drank and recoiled at the awful flavor, but forced himself to drink the bottle down. To his immense relief the hangover immediately dissipated from his mind, and his senses awakened with the clarity. He set the empty bottle on his nightstand beside the two empty Vulnerary vials. “That is much better. Thank you, Manuela.” Not once did he look at her.</p><p>”You’re welcome, Seteth. Have a good night.” She turned to leave, and a strangled noise rumbled from his throat. He wasn’t exactly ready to face her, but he knew that if she left now then nothing would be settled between them.</p><p>
  <em>It is something that I dread because I do not have any answers...but we cannot avoid this.</em>
</p><p>Manuela did stop at the door. ”I saw your sister earlier,” she said idly. Seteth flinched involuntarily. “I...what I remember from last night, you were not happy with her newfound relationship with Dedue. Despite your concerns though, she looks very happy with Dedue. I personally think he’s a fetching partner for her.”</p><p>”No one asked you,” Seteth said tersely.</p><p>”I suppose not.” He heard her move back into the room. Then he heard her sit down on his bed, opposite of him facing the door. Despite Seteth’s wishes, they sat there in silence for a long time. Not addressing each other and not looking at each other.</p><p>Manuela finally spoke again. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>Seteth finally looked at her, but she was still faced away from him. He flushed when he saw she was wearing her...loose outfit that she wore yesterday. “Pardon?” He said finally.</p><p>”I’m sorry,” Manuela repeated herself, still not looking at him. “I...didn’t handle myself well this morning. This was not the first time I woke up beside a bedfellow after a night of drinking and not remembering the previous night, but I have a feeling that this was a first for you. I did not feel taken advantage of. However, if <em>you </em>feel that you were taken advantage of, then I’m prepared for any consequences.”</p><p>”I did not feel taken advantage of,” Seteth said. He saw her shoulders droop in relief. He looked away then. “But yes. It is not in my nature to drink to a blackout and bed someone.”</p><p>”It’s what I thought,” Manuela said. “The thing is...I cannot remember what we did together last night, but my body feels <em>incredible</em>.” Seteth flushed. “If I can compliment you for anything Seteth, then I can see from the marks on my body and the way my body feels right now that you must be a generous lover.”</p><p>Seteth frowned and swallowed hard. “...Thank you, I suppose.”</p><p>”Hey.” Manuela said, and he felt her eyes on him then. “This is the part where you tell me how wonderful <em>you </em>feel.”</p><p>Seteth hid his face in his hands. “Manuela, I would prefer not to make this anymore awkward than it already is.”</p><p>”I’m not asking you to sleep with me now that we’re both stone-cold sober,” Manuela said defensively. “I wouldn’t object though to seeing exactly what you are capable of.”</p><p>”That is <em>not </em>in my nature!” Seteth snapped. “I do not just bed people to feed a carnal need! Such behavior is beneath me!”</p><p>Manuela sucked in a sharp breath. “So...is that how you see me? That I am beneath you?”</p><p>Seteth looked up but still didn’t look at her. “I know you have never thought highly of me,” Manuela said, her voice trembling. “But I‘ll have you know that I don’t just open my legs to anyone when I’m drunk! I’m not the type of woman who just—uses my own body like that! When I’ve taken a partner to bed, it is after I’m already in an established relationship with them! I hope you realize that I wouldn’t have just—<em>slept </em>with you Seteth just because you were the only person available at the time. Remember how I used to treat you when I got drunk? Hanneman and Lady Rhea were more than happy to tell me how <em>awful </em>my attitude was towards you! If I was some loose floozy, then I would’ve been all over you back then!”</p><p>Seteth still didn’t look at her, but he felt a cold jolt in his body. “...What are you saying?” He said quietly. </p><p>“I’m saying,” Manuela said feelingly. “That I care about you now, Seteth! That I had to have slept with you <em>because </em>I care about you now! I believe, with all of my heart, that had I felt nothing but contempt for you then then last night would not have happened!” She turned away from him again. “I don’t care if you believe me or not. That’s all I came here to tell you.” </p><p>Seteth turned back towards her again, but saw that she was starting to stand up. He launched across the bed and grabbed her wrist. His breathing was ragged and his heart was pounding. He believed her. He did remember her behavior previously while drunk and she had always been very volatile towards him. Never once had she tried to come onto him.</p><p>
  <em>Then...it is true. She was guided by her feelings towards me while she was drunk. And I was guided by <strong>m</strong><strong>y</strong> feelings while drunk. But...I do not know if I love her or not.</em>
</p><p>Manuela did not try to pull free, but she didn’t face him. Seteth looked up at her and steadied his breathing before he spoke. “I...the last woman I slept with was my wife.”</p><p>She still didn’t say anything. Seteth swallowed before continuing. “I loved my wife. I <em>love </em>my wife. Even now, I love her. I thought that I would never have an attraction to anyone after she died. I thought that my body could not possibly respond to anyone after she died. I...” he looked away briefly before looking back up at her. “I do not know...what it is that I feel for you, Manuela. However, had you meant nothing to me then I would not have slept with you. The only thing is that...” he shook his head. “It would be easy for me to do my duty as a man and commit you after what happened last night. I know that I care for you, however...however I do not know how deep my care <em>is </em>for you.”</p><p>Manuela turned back to him. Her expression was uncharacteristically sad. Seteth was stunned to see that the hickeys that had covered her were now gone. She noticed his gaze and smiled. “I put on makeup, Seteth.”</p><p>”Cichol,” Seteth blurted out.</p><p>Manuela’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”</p><p>Seteth stared at her, and frowned. After a moment, he came to a decision. <em>If my daughter felt comfortable telling someone, then so will I. I owe it to her anyway. </em>“My name is not really Seteth. It is Cichol.”</p><p>”Cichol,” Manuela echoed quietly. “Like Saint Cichol?”</p><p>”Yes.” Seteth held her gaze.</p><p>Manuela slowly sat back down on his bed. The color slowly drained from her face as she stared at him. “Cichol,” she said again. “You—<em>Oh</em>.” She quickly looked away. “Oh. I just realized—your birthday. 27th of the Ethereal Moon. That’s Saint Cichol’s Day.”</p><p>”Yes...it is.”</p><p>”A-And...And you have the Crest of Cichol. A Major Crest of Cichol. You’re the only person ever confirmed to have a Major Crest of Cichol. And you have the Spear of Assal—the spear that Saint Cichol himself wielded.” She pressed a hand to her mouth and her eyes went wide.</p><p>”All of this is true,” Seteth said calmly. “I have the Crest, the birthday, and the Sacred Weapon of Saint Cichol—because that’s <em>me</em>.”</p><p>Manuela shook her head violently, and pulled her hand free. “Saint Cichol existed a thousand years ago! Seteth, if you are Cichol then you—are you honestly telling me to believe that you are over <em>a thousand years old</em>?!”</p><p>”It is the truth.”</p><p>”Saint Cichol didn’t have a sister!” Manuela protested. “Saint Cichol had a daughter! If you’re Cichol, then where is your daughter?!”</p><p>Seteth looked at her knowingly. Manuela gaped at him, and he saw tears sting her eyes. “...Flayn?” She whispered. “Flayn is <em>Saint Cethleann</em>?!”</p><p>”That is correct.”</p><p>”T-Then—she’s not your sister? She’s your <em>daughter</em>?!”</p><p>Seteth nodded. “Do you now understand that I do not pray to her statue because of any romantic feelings?” Just saying the words tasted foul in his mouth. “I pray to her statue because I’m praying for the wellbeing of my only child.”</p><p>“Oh...” tears were slipping down Manuela’s face and she sloppily wiped them away as she stood up from the bed. She didn’t leave but she began pacing. “I—need a drink.”</p><p>”I drank my entire supply last night. I’m afraid I have nothing to offer you but tea.”</p><p>”B-But...” Manuela waved her arms wildly. “If all of this is true, why are you lying to us?!”</p><p>”I would think for the fact that Flayn was kidnapped, and her blood was taken, should answer your question.” Seteth stood up and approached her. “You tried to save her and the Death Knight stabbed you for it. We have to keep our identities a secret because our lives are at risk, Manuela. I do not have a lot of value over my own life, but Cethleann is all that I have. She is all that I have left and I will let <em>nothing </em>happen to her.”</p><p>”B...But then why tell me at all then?”</p><p>”Because you said that you care for me, and I admit that I care for you. I want you to understand that I trust you with this information because I care about you, but also so that you understand what it would mean to be with me. I have a long lifespan. I am not immortal, I am capable of dying. But if we were to be together I <em>would </em>outlive you. As you age I will look exactly the same as I do now. And I would be forced to watch you die—as I watched my wife die.” </p><p>Manuela was now fully crying, and she hid her face in her hands. Seteth did not know what to do, but when he touched her shoulder she lunged at him and cried into his chest. He held her to him awkwardly, not knowing what to say to make her feel better.</p><p>
  <em>But it was right to tell her. If she believes she cares about me—or possibly loves me—then I owe her that truth. I owe it her now especially, because I care for her back.</em>
</p><p>”I hate you,” Manuela snarled into his chest. Seteth was startled, more so as she pulled free of him. “I hate that I care about you so much, even though this news devastates me! I...I care about you, but I’m so overwhelmed right now! I can’t...” she shook her head again.</p><p>”I apologize,” Seteth said quietly. “But it was necessary for you to know.” He reached into his pocket to offer her a handkerchief, but she waved him away and pulled out her own. “At least I know now,” she said bitterly as she cleaned up her own face.</p><p>“I will give you the space that you need. I know it is incredibly selfish of me to ask, but—”</p><p>”I’m not going to tell anyone,” Manuela said. “The people who took your sis—dau—<em>Flayn</em>, are the same people who stabbed me. They’re all cut from the same cloth as the people who declared war on the Church. I won’t give them an inch, I swear it.”</p><p>Seteth nodded. An awkward silence filled the room after this. Seteth struggled to find the right words to say. <em>Well...I settled things between us. I believe that I have. I still have to settle things with my daughter, though...</em></p><p>”Can I stay here tonight?” Manuela asked suddenly.</p><p>Seteth flushed again. “W-Wh—”</p><p>”I don’t want to have sex with you,” Manuela said defensively. “I just want to—lay beside you.” She swallowed thickly. “I...Everything that you told me tonight—I—I don’t know what to think of you. But I can’t just shut off my feelings, S—C—” She shook her head. “What exactly am I supposed to call you now?”</p><p>”Seteth,” he responded quickly. “And...Y-You want to just...share a bed with me?”</p><p>”Yes. Just sleeping side by side. We’ve—well, we’re already at an awkward point. We slept together before establishing anything between us. And—And finding out the truth about you I don’t know what to make of you. B-But I would...” she looked away. “It would...<em>comfort </em>me to not be alone. To be with someone—you—tonight. Platonically.”</p><p>Seteth sighed heavily and rubbed at his temple. “I...Yes. There is a lot unsettled between us. I was hoping to resolve everything before we march tomorrow, but that is impossible. We can settle everything after we take Enbarr and rescue Lady Rhea. But...But I would enjoy company tonight.”</p><p>Manuela smiled. “I’ll go get changed into nightclothes. I’ll be right back.” She walked past him as he headed towards the door. She stopped in her tracks, and turned back around and returned to him. She suddenly leaned up and kissed him on the mouth.</p><p>Seteth’s eyes widened, and heat swept down his body briefly. Just as suddenly she pulled away and quickly left the room. Seteth pressed a hand over his mouth and sat down on the corner of his bed again. <em>Well. This really is complicated. But there are other things to worry about now so I will not ponder over it...</em></p><p>The wall in front of him suddenly shook, and his shelves rattled. Seteth flushed and he gaped at the wall as he heard the unmistakable sounds of moaning on the other side of that wall. Two voices. He didn’t need to guess or wonder what was going on in the room beside his. But he couldn’t believe what he was witnessing because of who’s room was on the other side of the wall.</p><p>
  <em>Isn’t that...those sounds are coming from <strong>Shamir’s room</strong>!</em>
</p><hr/><p>”Seteth?”</p><p>Seteth woke up slowly, and he was pleasantly pleased by the warmth he felt. He opened his eyes slowly and saw the back of Manuela’s head. After a moment he realized that he was spooning with her in his bed. He could sense though that they were both clothed, which was a relief. Thankfully whatever...activity had been going on in Shamir’s room ceased before they went to bed, though Manuela had been amused by it. She had even joked about knocking on Shamir’s door, but Seteth was definitely not on board with that idea.</p><p>Flayn had not stopped by his room like she sometimes did, which hurt Seteth but he knew it would be better to just find her in the morning before they marched. </p><p>“Seteth?”</p><p>He realized then that it wasn’t Manuela who was speaking to him. The voice was coming from behind him. He saw that it was still dark in his room, so he rolled over to face the person who was talking. There was a candle lit on his other bedside table. But it illuminated the person who was standing beside his bed.</p><p>Seteth screamed.</p><p>”What—!” Manuela was awake in an instant, but Seteth fell out of bed at the feet of the newcomer. He blinked rapidly and sputtered, not believing what he was seeing. He lifted a trembling hand to point to the person.</p><p>”Are we under attack?!” Manuela demanded, sitting up. “Wh—” she saw the person Seteth was staring at and <em>she </em>screamed. She also sputtered and stammered, gesturing wildly with her hands, but she couldn’t form full words. It was Seteth who could vocalize the name to put on the face before them.</p><p>”Lady Rhea...”</p><p>Rhea, hair down and wearing a white dress, smiled at them with a sad smile. “It has been a long time. We have...a lot to discuss.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I created the name of Seteth’s wyvern, Whitasu, from combining the last names of his English and Japanese voices actors, Mark Whitten and Takehito Koyasu respectively.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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